American Views on Islam Phone Survey of 1,000 Americans
2 Methodology The phone survey of Americans was conducted September 14-28, 2015 The calling utilized Random Digit Dialing. 50% of completes were among landlines and 50% among cell phones Maximum quotas and slight weights were used for gender, region, age, ethnicity, and education to more accurately reflect the population The completed sample is 1,000 surveys The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +3.6% Margins of error are higher in sub-groups
Survey Responses
4 Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? Among Americans Fundamentally different from Christianity Relevant today Spiritually good Similar to Christianity Promotes charity Tolerant Open Dangerous Promotes violence Spiritually evil None of these 44% 43% 40% 34% 31% 31% 29% 29% 26% 19% 13% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Q: Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply)
5 46% say Christians and Muslims pray to the same God 100% 80% 60% 40% 28% 34% 20% 18% 13% 8% 0% Strongly Agree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree Not sure Q: Christians and Muslims pray to the same God.
6 Significant Differences Gender Region Age Ethnicity Education Level Religious Preference Catholic/Protestant Born again/evangelical/fundamentalist Religious Service Attendance
7 Significant Statistical Differences Comparisons were made to determine if there are any significant statistical differences among gender, region of the country, age, ethnicity, and education level. Gender Region Age Ethnicity Education Level Male Northeast 18-24 White HS degree or less Female Midwest 25-34 African American Some college South 35-44 Hispanic Bachelor s West 45-54 Other Ethnicities Graduate degree 55-64 65+ Notes: Region is defined by US Census locations
8 Significant Statistical Differences Comparisons were made to determine if there are any significant statistical differences among religious preference, denomination, Born again/ Evangelical/ Fundamentalist, and religious service attendance. Religious Preference Denomination Evangelical Christian* Protestant / Nondenominational Yes Religious Service Attendance More than once a week Other Religions Catholic No / not sure About once a week Nonreligious** *includes Catholic, Protestant, Nondenominational, and Orthodox **includes Atheist, Agnostic, and No Preference Once or twice a month Only on religious holidays Rarely Never
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) Open Those age 18-24 (47%) are most likely to select Those age 25-34 (33%) are more likely to select than those age 65+ (22%) Whites (25%) are least likely to select Christians (27%) are less likely to select than Other Religions (40%) Those attending religious services once or twice a month (39%) are more likely to select than those attending at least about once a week (26%) and those rarely or never attending (28%) 9 Promotes violence Men are more likely to select (30% v 23%) Those age 55-64 (33%) and 65+ (32%) are more likely to select than those age 18-24 (21%) and 35-44 (22%) Whites (30%) are more likely to select than African Americans (19%) and Hispanics (21%) Those with a graduate degree (17%) are less likely to select than those with a HS diploma or less (29%) or a Bachelor s degree (27%)
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) cont. Promotes violence (cont.) Christians (29%) are more likely to select than Nonreligious (19%) Evangelical Protestants are more likely to select (39% v 21%) Those attending religious services at least about once a week (33%) are more likely to select than those rarely or never attending (20%) 10 Promotes charity Those age 18-24 (42%) are more likely to select than those age 35-44 (27%), 45-54 (30%), 55-64 (27%), and 65+ (26%) Those age 25-34 (37%) are more likely to select than those age 65+ (26%) Whites (28%) are less likely to select than African Americans (43%) and Other Ethnicities (40%) Other Religions (45%) are more likely to select than Christians (29%) and Nonreligious (32%) Evangelical Protestants are less likely to select (26% v 33%) Those attending religious services once or twice a month (42%) are more likely than those attending at least about once a week (29%) and those rarely or never attending (28%)
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) cont. Spiritually good Those age 18-24 (54%) are more likely to select than those age 35-44 (40%), 45-54 (40%), 55-64 (33%), and 65+ (30%) Those age 25-34 (48%) are more likely to select than those age 55-64 (33%) and 65+ (30%) Whites are least likely to select (36%) Christians (37%) are less likely to select than Other Religions (49%) and Nonreligious (46%) Catholics (48%) are more likely to select than Protestants (34%) Evangelical Protestants are less likely to select (30% v 45%) Those attending religious services at least about once a week (35%) are less likely to select than those attending once or twice a month (48%) or only on religious holidays (54%) 11
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) cont. Spiritually evil Those in the Midwest (24%) are more likely to select than those in the Northeast (15%) and West (17%) Those age 55-64 (26%) and 65+ (23%) are more likely to select than those age 18-24 (14%) Those age 55-64 (26%) are more likely to select than those age 35-44 (15%) Whites (23%) are the most likely to select Those with a graduate degree (11%) are less likely to select than those with a high school diploma or less (20%) or Some college (22%) Christians (21%) are more likely to select than Nonreligious (13%) Protestants (24%) are more likely to select than Catholics (14%) Evangelical Protestants are more likely to select (29% v 15%) Those attending at least about once a week (25%) are the most likely to select 12
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) cont. Similar to Christianity Those in the Northeast (41%) are more likely to select than those in the West (29%) Those age 18-24 (53%) are most likely to select Those age 25-34 (36%) and 35-44 (37%) are more likely to select than those age 65+ (26%) Those age 35-44 (37%) are more likely to select than those age 45-54 (27%) Whites (32%) are less likely to select than African Americans (43%) Christians (30%) are less likely to select than Other Religions (43%) and Nonreligious (42%) Catholics (40%) are more likely to select than Protestants (27%) Evangelical Protestants are less likely to select (26% v 38%) Those attending at least about once a week (29%) are less likely to select than those attending only on religious holidays (51%) or rarely or never attending (39%) Those attending once or twice a month (34%) are less likely to select than those attending only on religious holidays (51%) 13
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) cont. Fundamentally different from Christianity Christians (50%) are more likely to select than Other Religions (31%) and Nonreligious (31%) Protestants (53%) are more likely to select than Catholics (41%) Evangelical Protestants are more likely to select (60% v 37%) Those rarely or never attending (35%) are less likely to select than those attending at least about once a week (52%) or once or twice a month (45%) 14 Dangerous Southerners (33%) are more likely to select than Northeasterners (24%) Those age 18-24 (19%) are less likely to select than those age 35-44 (29%), 45-54 (33%), 55-64 (35%), and 65+ (33%) Those age 25-34 (25%) are less likely to select than those age 55-64 (35%) Whites (34%) are more likely to select than Hispanics (22%) and Other Ethnicities (19%) Christians (34%) are more likely to select than Nonreligious (17%)
Which of the following characteristics would you use to describe Islam? (choose all that apply) cont. Dangerous (cont.) Protestants (36%) are more likely to select than Catholics (26%) Evangelical Protestants are more likely to select (44% v 24%) Those attending at least about once a week (38%) are the most likely to select 15 Relevant today Those age 18-24 (56%) are the most likely to select Those with a high school diploma or less (38%) are less likely to select than those with a Bachelor s (47%) or graduate degree (50%) Those attending once or twice a month (49%) are more likely to select than those rarely or never attending (39%) Tolerant Northeasterners (37%) are more likely to select than Midwesterners (26%) Those age 18-24 (42%) and 25-34 (41%) are more likely to select than those 35-44 (29%), 55-64 (25%), and 65+ (20%) Those age 45-54 (33%) are more likely to select than those 65+ (20%) African Americans (37%) and Hispanics (45%) are more likely to select than Whites (26%) Christians (29%) are less likely to select than Nonreligious (38%)
16 Christians and Muslims pray to the same God. Northeasterners (56%) are more likely to Agree than Southerners (40%) and Westerners (44%) Those age 25-34 (56%) are more likely to Agree than those 35-44 (42%), 45-54 (40%), 55-64 (44%), and 65+ (41%) Those age 18-24 (52%) are more likely to Agree than those 45-54 (40%) Nonreligious (56%) are more likely to Agree than Christians (41%) Catholics (52%) are more likely to Agree than Protestants (38%) Evangelical Protestants are less likely to Agree (35% v 50%) Those attending at least about once a week (34%) are the least likely to Agree
American Views on Islam Phone Survey of 1,000 Americans